EIR221 Sick Test 2d sem 2014: Section 2 FW Leuschner 45 Marks

Question 4 / Vraag 4
[20]
Discuss in your own words the sequence of events from the moment that a lightning bolt strikes a 132kV steel
transmission line tower (transmission line is active), to the moment the auto-recloser closes. Will the recloser stay ON,
explain?
Answer:
1. Lightning strikes the transmission line steel tower.
2. Extremely high current flows to earth (through earthling connection and rods).
3. With low earth resistance and extremely high current the mast voltage goes much higher than the Phase voltage
of the transmission line conductor.
4. This voltage flashes over the insulator string and creates an ionised path for current to flow even after the
extinction of the lightning bolt.
5. The voltage from the phase conductor flashes over to the mast through the ionised path and a short circuit
current flows through the recloser circuit breaker in the substation; which trips.
6. The recloser closes again after the lightning flash is gone and the ionised path removed.
7. Recloser stays in i.e. circuit is ON.
Question 5 / Vraag 5
[25]
We have to transport an apparent load of 500MVA over a distance of 800km. We decide to use two parallel 275kV
transmission lines (100m apart).
The following is known for each transmission line:
Load voltage (line voltage) = 275.0kV at 50.0Hz
Load power factor = 0.85 lagging
Conductors to be used:
2
304mm ACSR with R = 0.11/km and Ampacity = 750A (max)
For such transmission lines we can use the following reactance values:
XL = 0.40/km and XC = 300 000km
For one of the transmission lines:
a. Draw the per phase equivalent circuit (one phase only) ( equivalent)
and indicate all the quantities with the correct units on the diagram.
(6)
b. Calculate the transmission line current IXline
(4)
c. Calculate the voltage drop across the transmission line VXline
(4)
d. Calculate the supply voltage
(4)
e. Draw the combined current and voltage phasor diagrams to clearly indicate:
(7)
Kirchhoffs current law for the load current, capacitive current and the
transmission line current.
Kirchhoffs voltage law for the load voltage, transmission line voltage
drop and the supply voltage.
Answer:

a. Per phase equivalent circuit for one of the two the transmission lines (); each line carries 250MVA.
Supply

Transmission

XL Xline
ESource

line

Load

RXline

2 XC Xline

ZLoad =RLoad + jXLoad

2 XC Xline

For 800km:

R = 0.11 x 800 = 88

XL = 0.4 x 800 = 320

XC = 300 000 / 800 = 375 and 2XC = 750

b. Per phase calculations:

Load voltage (phase voltage) = 275 000 / 3 = 158.8kV
Load current: S = 3 V I Note: 2 Transmission lines each carry half the load of 500MVA
S = 250MVA or 250/3 = 83.33A per phase
6

From: S = 3 VLine x I Load we have ILoad = S / ( 3 V ) = 250 x 10 / (3 x 275 000) = 524.86 A per conductor
The load current lags the load voltage by = arc cos 0.85 = 31.8
(Check: S = 3 x VPhase x ILoad = 3 x 158800 x 524.86 = 250 MVA)
Phase angle between load voltage (phase) and load current = arc cos (0.85) = 31.8
We use the load voltage as reference i.e. 0 or VLoad = 1588000 (Note: Phase voltage)
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and the ILoad = 524.86-31.8 A

Capacitive reactance of transmission line: 2XC at each end = 2 x 375 = 750
Current through 2XC = VLoad / 2XC = 158800 / 750 = 211.7 A leading the load voltage by 90
I2Xc = 211.790
Transmission line current = Supply current
= Load current (phasor) + Current through capacitive reactance 2XC (phasor)
IXline = 524.86-31.8 + 211.790 = (446 276.6j) + (0 + 211.7j) = 446 64.9j
IXline

= 450.7
-8.28 A

(Check: The 450.7A in each phase conductor is much less than the Ampacity given as
750A)
c.

Transmission line voltage = Transmission line current x Transmission line impedance

ZXline = RXline + jXL Xline = 188 + 320j = 371.1459.6
VXline = IXline x ZXline = 450.7-8.28 x 371.1459.6 = 167 273 51.3 V

d. VSupply = VLoad + VXline = 1588000 + 16727351.3 V

= ( 158800 + 0j ) + (104586 + 130545j ) = 263386 + 130545j

= 293 96326.36 V I.e. supply line voltage = 3 x 294kV =509kV

(too high compared to 275kV load voltage)

e. Phasor diagram: Sequence of drawing VLoad , ILoad , I2Xc , ILine , VR Xline , , VX Xline , V Xline , VSupply

= 23.36

VSupply

I2Xc

VX Xline
VLoad

V Xline

ILine
I2Xc
= 31.8

VR Xline

ILoad

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